Apparatus for refining petroleum



Dec, s, 1925.

1,564,984 W. H. STILSON APPARATUS Fon REFINING PETROLEUM Fl'od Jan. 20. 1920 HMA/,35K (m/ MAW l 5y @ya Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT o 1,564,984 EFICE.

WILLIAM H. STILSON, OF NEW YORK, N Y., ASSIGNOR T0 STILSON PROCESS CORPORA- TION, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING PETROLEUM.

Application' :filed January 20, 1920. Serial N'o. 352,756.

To all whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. STILsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New'York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Refining Petroleum, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for the refining of petroleum, and more particularly for the refining of crude petroleum, Such as Mexican crude oil and Californian crude oil.

This invention has for its object an improved construction and arrangement of parts which is cflicient, economical and readily adapted to the production vof an improved product.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for drawing ofi the products of condensation from `the vapor line leading from the still.

Another obj ect is to provide a construction adapted to draw off progressively the condensation products over a given range of temperature drop andA collect them as la single condensate.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set'forth, and the scope of their application will appear in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and advantages of this invention.

reference should be had to the following detailed description, which describes the best illustrative embodiments of this invention at present known to me, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

The figure shows a portion of an apparatus for refining petroleum, constructed to embody this invention.

Referrinr now to the dra-wing, there is shown at a still adapted for vaporizing petroleum.

The still A is heated by a furnace '10, which is fired by a flame from the burner shown at 11 and has a stack S. The still is supplied with petroleum to be refined through the connection 12 in which is interposed an observation box 13, and a trap 14, which connection leads to the interior of the one after the other in the still A and-is provided with a spraying nozzles 15.

The still A is provided with a vapor line 16 which has safety valves 17 to prevent it becoming gas bound and otherwise relieve it of excessive pressure. There is shown at 18 a T for collecting and returning to the still a predetermined condensation' product, this returned roduct being likewise sprayed into the still fiom the nozzles at 21 through plurality of a connection 20 which is provided for this purpose. In order to collect progressively the condensation products through a given range of temperature drop in the vapor line and withdraw them as a single condensate, a

condensing means, designated generally at D is provided, and is preferably styled; a dephlegmating by-pass. a, pair of Ts 22 inserted in spaced relation vaporV line-.31A

This means las 75 branch connection 23, disposed underneath 'i of and parallel to the vapor line,"connects the lower openings of the two Tsl this connection there depends the., vertical connection 24 which has inserted in it, in spaced relation, a pair of valves 19 and 19.

These valves providev between them a re-` From ceptacle C adapted to collect carbon particles i settling out of the condensate trickling down from the connection 23. This receptacle thus functions to collect carbon refuse Aand sludge and is. styled a carbon trap. The

depending connection from T 18 is also ass -19 preferably provided with a carbon tra indicated by similar reference numera and 19.

From a point above the carbon trap in the connection 24 leads the .connectlon 25, through which the condensate is adapted to be withdrawn to a suitable place. This connection is provided with a U-seal 26, having a drain 27. This seal, in addition is provided with a pl ug opening 28 through which it may be cleaned'from time to time.-

The va or line is preferably lagged with heat insu ating material, as mdicated dagrammatically at 30, in order to confine as far as possible condensation taking place in the vapor line to the desired points.

A connection is shown at 31 which is ada ted to return to the still some of the fixed gases which may not have been thoroughly cleaned, to be operated on in the distillation process; this connection f is referably indirectly connected to the vapor line, and is shown as 4provided with a pump at 32 for assisting ins'this return.

In operation, the petroleum to-be distilled is sprayed into low pressure, such ressure being provided by the hydrostatic ead ofv the' supply con,

nection 12. 'The vapor products are withdrawn through the vapor line 16, the T at 18 returning a predetermined condensation product. jg y The dephlegmatingtby-pass at D will condense progressively `the hydrocarbon vapors -over a gradually diminishing range of boiling oints, such points being thus comprehen ed between the Ts 22. These condensation products, as they condense on the walls of this portion ofI the vapor line, will be drawn to one or the other of the Ts. 22, whence they will trickle out to the connection 23 from whence they are withdrawn as a single condensate through the connection 25. Any carbon particles which may have come over in. the vapor'line and have settled out and collected in the dephlegmating by-pass Dwill be precipitated by gravity into the carbon trap C, the lower valve 19 of which is normally closed, the upper valve 19 being normally open.

When it is desiredto Hush and clean the carbon trap, the valve 19 will be closed and the valve 19 opened, the sludge, carbon and other matter collected in thistrap may then be drawn forth, after which the carbon trap may be restored to its normal operating condition.

The progressive withdrawal of any number of condensation products may be secured by one dephlegmating by-pass when made with the proper proportions and design. Also by providing a plurality of dephlegmating by-passes in the vapor line, various condensates may be segregated andv drawn-nii' as a number of single products, as lubricating-oils, kerosene, etc.

As many changes could be made in the labove construction and many apparently widely different embodiment of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the lan- Aguage used in the followingl claims is inten ed to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of lan- Agi'ia e, might be said to fall therebetween. the still A under a relatively aving described my invention, what I ters'Patent, is: f,

',1. In etrolenm refining apparatus, the

"combination with a vStill having Va vapor line, i of a pair of Ts disposed in spaced relation in said vapor line, a branch connection connecting said Ts below the vapor line, and a connection depending from said branch connection adapted both to withdraw the condensate collected and to trap carbon particles coming over in said condensate.

2. In petroleum refining apparatus, the combination with a still having a vapor line, of a pair of Ts disposed in spaced relation in said va or line, a branch connection connecting said Ts below the vapor line, and a vertical connection depending from said branch connection having an outlet connec- 1 tion in its side for the condensate and `a carbon trap ya point below the outlet connection.

, 3. A means for collecting'condensates'in petroleum refining apparatus, comprising in combination, a vapor line, a dephlegmating by-pass associated' therewith comprising, a pair of Ts disposed in' said 4vapor line in spaced relation, a branch connection. below the vapor line connecting said Ts, a pipe depending from said branch connection, a carbon trap in said pipe having a plurality of valves adapted to be .manipulated to permit the,withdrawal of the c-arbon, and a connection above the carbon trap for withdrawing the condensate collected.

4. A carbon trap adapted for connection to a vapor line in petroleum refining apparatus.l comprising in combination, a tubular connection adapted to be disposed in vertical position and having therein a pair of valves disposed in space relation one above the other, the upper valve being normally open, the lower valve being normally closed, and -a connection leading from said vertically disposed connection at a point above the upper valve, said last named conf nection being provided with a U-shaped Seal and adapted to withdraw the condensate from said vertical connection.

lIn testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM STILSON. 

